Flexible plastic bags are in widespread use for collecting a wide variety of items, including wastepaper, food scraps and other disposable items which are commonly found in the kitchen, bathroom, nursery, garage/workshop, laundry room, and office. Because of their flexibility, plastic bags are not well adapted for stand-alone service, and are usually sized for insertion into a rigid metal or plastic container which supports the flexible bag in an upright orientation, with the bag sidewall being secured about the rim of the rigid container in an open arrangement. The disposable items are simply tossed into the open mouth of the bag, and when it has been filled, the bag is removed from the container and sealed with a plastic or metal tie strap. Typically, the sealed bag is then inserted into a larger disposal bag for pickup by a sanitation service. The larger bag is usually sealed by tie straps, or is itself enclosed within a large upright disposal container, which may be sealed by a removable lid.